BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a system for controlling the movement of each container between a container sealing apparatus and a liquid level testing apparatus so that each filled and sealed container arrives at and is tested by the liquid level testing apparatus at a desired time interval after it leaves the sealing apparatus.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a moving endless conveyor means is mounted to receive filled and seamed cans from a rotating star wheel means of a conventional seaming apparatus. The moving endless conveyor means has a width which is slightly greater than twice the diameter of each can so as to have a first half width portion and a second half width portion. The moving endless conveyor means is moved at a linear velocity that is substantially the same as the peripheral velocity of the star wheel means so that filled and seamed cans may be readily transferred from the star wheel means to the moving endless conveyor means. The moving endless conveyor means are located relative to the star wheel means so that each filled and seamed can transferred thereto is deposited on the first half width portion thereof. Can pushing means are provided for contacting every other filled and seamed can on the first half width portion and pushing such every other filled and seamed can from the first half width portion to the second half width portion. Can transfer means are provided for transferring filled and seamed cans on the first half width portion to a first moving fill test conveyor means leading to a first liquid level testing apparatus and for transferring the filled and seamed cans on the second half width portion to a second moving fill test conveyor means leading to a second liquid level testing apparatus. The first and second moving fill test conveyor means have linear velocities which are dependent upon the desired time interval between the seamed can transfer to the endless conveyor means and the liquid level testing apparatus. Since the distance that each filled and seamed can is on the first and second moving fill test conveyor means is known, it is possible to maintain the elapsed time of each filled and seamed can as it moves from its deposition on the first or second fill test conveyor means to a liquid level testing apparatus substantially constant at a desired time interval. The desired time interval is primarily controlled by the length and the velocity of the first and second moving fill test conveyor means. Although the invention is described specifically in relation to filled and seamed cans, it can also be used with bottles and sealed caps or other types of containers.